Paternity suits carry significant emotional, financial and legal consequences for all parties involved. More than that, it has a significant impact on the involved children’s overall well-being.
Two common types of paternity suits are paternity establishment and paternity disestablishment actions. Understanding these suits is crucial for anyone seeking to affirm or contest paternity rights.
Paternity establishment: Asserting paternal rights
When a man believes he is the biological father of a child or hopes to assume father rights and responsibilities, but paternity has not been legally established, he may seek to assert his paternal rights. This is usually the case for unmarried parents or when a child’s mother is married to a man who is not the child’s biological father.
In these cases, there are several courses of action to establish paternity, which can have significant implications on child custody, visitation and support.
Paternity disestablishment: Challenging paternity allegations
In paternity cases, it is also common for a man alleged to be the father of a child to challenge paternity if they believe they are not the biological father of the child involved. In these cases, the suitable course of action is for them to undergo DNA testing. If the test results show that the alleged father is not the biological father of the child, they have no paternal legal rights and responsibilities towards the child.
Navigating the complexities of paternity suits is crucial for individuals seeking to establish or challenge their paternal relationship with their child.
Assessing the situation and paternity laws on your own may be overwhelming. Fortunately, you can always seek guidance from a competent legal representative to help you navigate the process and provide you with support.
